When we last left off, we had the elderly and worn-out King David standing at the gates of Machanayim, asking the army to go easy on Absalom.
Imagine the confusion the men must’ve felt when they heard that.
They were being asked not to kill the very man who sought to overthrow David’s kingdom.
Forgive me for beating a dead horse here.
But the takeaway I expounded on yesterday has all the more relevance today as well.
Due to some twisted sense of father-to-son affection, David had managed to overlook that his son had become an enemy of God’s Kingdom, and thus was worthy of destruction.
Yeshua issued a stern warning about the heart and mindset of anyone who chooses to follow him…especially those who choose to go into ministry.
The bottom line is that saying “yes” to God’s call means putting Him first.
That means His will and His work come before money, stuff, and even before family.
Ya feeling me here?
This ain’t something we see too often in the believing community.
Usually, folks prioritize family over God.
Of course, they’ll argue that creating a family is an extension of their obedience to the Lord’s commands to be fruitful and multiply.
Personally, I think in a lot of cases, it’s just an extension of their fleshly pride and ego.
At social events, men love to show off their kids and how, by virtue of their wife and children, they’ve somehow proven themselves socially respectable.
And of course, inwardly, they derive a sort of perverse feeling of superiority over the single men in the congregation.
So, if you’re a single dude and feel like you’re treated as a second-class citizen in the believing community because you’ve never gotten married or had kids, I feel for ya, man.
But you should know the Scripture is on your side.
A believer is called to FIRST commit to the Lord.
And then afterward, decide if his or her commitment will even accommodate having a family and kids.
Lemme say that again for the stubborn and thick-headed.
The best way is to commit to God first.
Then ask yourself if your calling even leaves room for a family.
Ya feel me here?
I’ve seen marriages go completely to pieces because one partner was on fire for the Lord, while the other one preferred reading Pokémon comics in her free time.
Tragically, in most communities (especially in the gentile church), it’s the complete opposite.
The dude gets married, has a couple of kids, and then decides at his own ridiculous leisure, “Okay, now we’re all going into ministry.”
His lovey-dovey Christian wife, with that fake as all hell smile plastered on her face, goes along.
But you can tell, she really ain’t too excited.
But she tries to do her best.
And the kids?
They’re the real victims.
The fired-up husband ends up with a burned-out wife and kids who are angry and frustrated.
Why?
Because they never signed up for this in the first place.
I don’t blame ’em.
Ministry ain’t for everybody.
The scenario I just described is probably why so many kids of pastors turn into the most heathen of rebels later on in life.
So the takeaway for today is COUNT THE COST when you decide to commit to the Lord.
It ain’t a decision to be taken lightly.
Putting your family first can seriously destroy your relationship with God.
Just ask David.
I still have some more to say about this topic.
So, we’ll continue this discussion the next time we meet.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers
or sisters or father or mother or wife or children
or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times
as much and will inherit eternal life.”
-Matthew 19:29
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